Greg Sanders
Encyclopedia
Gregory Hojem-Sanders, is a fictional character
on the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
, portrayed by Eric Szmanda
. Greg appeared in every episode, with exception of "Blood Drops", "Fahrenheit 932", "Crate N' Burial" and "Too Tough To Die" from season one
, "Cross Jurisdictions
" from season two
, "Paper or Plastic" from season four
, "Hollywood Brass" from season five
, "The Unusual Suspect" from season six
, "Sweet Jane" from season seven
and "Unleashed" from season eleven
.
. Statements from other characters and Greg himself have hinted that the Sanders family were from an upper middle class or wealthy background. Although friends and family told him that science was for geeks, Greg knew from a young age that he wanted to become a scientist. The season 4 episode "Coming of Rage" revealed that he had a palate expander, braces, a retainer, and headgear while growing up. Although he was never good at sports, Greg was the captain of the high school chess team. In the season seven episode "Toe Tags" he stated that he is an Eagle Scout
. The same season, in the episode "Fannysmackin'", Greg reveals that his overprotective mother refused to let him play sports in high school because he was her only child. Greg stated that his mother wanted four children, but only got one. In the same episode, he reveals a fondness for Doc Martens in high school and thinks that skinheads'
enthusiasm for that style "kinda ruined it for everyone." It is revealed that Greg was a big fan of The X-Files
because in the season 7 episode "Leapin' Lizards" he says that he "practically grew up on The X-Files" At some stage, Greg lived in New York (season 2, "Burked"). He also used to bowl in high school as seen in the season 10 episode, "Lover's Lanes". Greg also reveals to Nick while working on a case about illegal drag racing in the episode "Internal Combustion" that he once stole his Papa Olaf's car while he was taking a nap when he was 12, took it round the block twice and almost ran over his own foot when trying to reverse it back into the driveway. Papa Olaf never found out.
Greg successfully earned his degree in chemistry
from Stanford University
, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa. He has a wide variety of hobbies, including surfing
, scuba diving
, and numismatics
(the study of money/coins and currency - in the episode "Precious Metal" his knowledge of the subject helps the investigation). In "Precious Metal" it is also revealed that Greg likes supermodel
s, latex
and Marilyn Manson
. He is portrayed as well read, being familiar with The Tell-Tale Heart
by Edgar Allan Poe
. However, he also contradicts his scientific training and believes in occultism, stating that one could have paranormal beliefs and also be a scientist, something with which Grissom agrees.
such as Marilyn Manson
while running lab machines and hiding porn
magazines in some area cabinets. He is also known for his many different hair styles and colors.
In the Season 2 episode Chasing The Bus, Nick takes Greg for his first night out in the field. Greg helped process the scene with no gloves and did not wear a warmer jacket during the cold night. When a bus passenger, injured during the bus crash, collapses towards Nick, Greg freezes as Nick yells at Greg to get some help. This has created a little bit of anger from a few LVPD workers, including Gil. But, Nick tells Greg not to apologize, but added that Greg is not qualified to work in the field, despite telling him about his first time out in the field as CSI One. Later, Sara tells an unhappy Greg that he is really good at what he does.
In the season 3 episode "Play with Fire" he was involved in a lab explosion, which he survived. Also, in the season 7 episode "Fannysmackin'" he is severely injured after he risks his life to save a tourist being beaten to death by a gang of teenage thrill seekers. He later tells Gil Grissom
that he has kept his promotion to CSI a secret from his parents because he didn't want to worry them; they had, for the most part, tried to keep him from playing aggressive sports out of fear of injury to their only child. Moreover, Greg indicates that they were prone to excessive responses to even minor injuries, such as one instance where they took him to an emergency room for a bloody nose. Grissom tells Greg that he needs to come clean, and that they will probably take the news well if he explains; in particular, Grissom states that his mother will be proud of him for saving a man's life. In the season 7 episode "Post Mortem", Greg's split-second decision to run over one of the men threatening the tourist is found to be "excusable." The man's family disagrees with the verdict and serves Greg with a civil suit. In "Empty Eyes" Grissom informs Greg that the city of Las Vegas has settled the civil suit with the family, which has received millions. In a later episode, "Big Shots" the dead man's brother is implicated in a murder investigation, but Greg asks the prosecutor to be lenient with him. Greg appears to feel sympathy for the man's mother, who shouts at Greg that he "owes her" for the death of her first son and her second son is all she has left, though he commented that he was not responsible for their actions and so "owes her nothing."
There has been significant development of the Greg Sanders character throughout the seasons. He was initially the resident lab rat, appearing occasionally. From the second season onwards, it was shown that Greg longed for a position out in the field, especially following his involvement in the lab explosion in "Play with Fire". He failed his first proficiency test when he urinated in a toilet at a crime scene, but having spent several episodes studying and assisting the CSIs, he eventually attained the rank of CSI Level One ("Who Shot Sherlock?"). As the lowest-ranking CSI, he is often given the more menial or unpleasant tasks, such as fishing about in a liquefied body or a dumpster. He initially rarely interviewed suspects. However, he later graduated to investigating crime scenes on his own. His first episode as a primary investigator was season seven episode "Fannysmackin'". Ironically, before he was able to reach the crime scene, he noticed a mob attacking a tourist. Both Greg and the tourist survived and the team arrested the gang members, but a gang-member that Greg had run over died in surgery, which causes problems in later episodes. In this episode, Greg also celebrated over dinner with the female district attorney after his testimony at a jury trial helped put away a criminal. By season 9, in the last regular episode Gil Grissom appears in, Greg has been newly promoted to CSI Level 3. During his time out into the field, Greg is shown to be kind natured and compassionate. In the season 5 episode "Spark of Life", he is seen to be disturbed by a woman who set herself on fire and while taking her husband to the hospital to see her, he is seen very close to crying. Also, during the season 9 episode "No Way Out" after a 7 year old is accidentally killed, his father will not give him up to David Phillips. Greg decides to coax him into giving him to David, while telling him "He's in a better place" and that he'll "Take care of him I promise", he reluctantly agrees. He later goes to tell him that they caught the shooter and the father invites him in for coffee.
The character has "grown up" somewhat since the first season. He was originally portrayed as a girl-crazy geek with interesting hair and odd shirts. He would be seen dancing in his lab and sometimes the hallways or conducting an invisible symphony. Eventually, Greg matured quite a bit, but without losing his wacky touch and still changes his hair occasionally.
It should also be noted that during the series, Greg is involved in a number of explosions. These include explosions in "Play With Fire", which hospitalizes Sanders, "Say Uncle" in which he and Detective Cavalier are involed in a trip wire explosion in a house, and "Shock Waves" in which Greg saves Detectives Vartann's life resulting in him getting a few cuts in turn when a crime scene is rigged with explosives.
By Season 11, Greg has had moments of aggression while on the job. He was seen yelling at someone in Bump And Grind, grabs a camera from a man taking pictures of a dead hooker in Man Up, loudly tells Brass about an irate witness being a jerk who claimed that the victim had a young daughter in 418/427, and physically stops two shady crematorium workers with a wooden plank, much to Nick's amazement.
Greg shows great interest in the historical aspect of Las Vegas, and in Season Eight episode The Case of the Cross-Dressing Carp it was revealed that he is writing a book on the "untold stories of Vegas". Interestingly, Greg's subplot in this episode is comparable to that in Season Six episode Kiss-Kiss, Bye-Bye, where he becomes fascinated by the biography of Lois O'Neil. The trilby hat which Greg wears is, similarly, a nod to his hat in Kiss-Kiss, Bye-Bye. His book is mentioned again in the episode Cockroaches, Greg stated he had been researching Mob bosses from Vegas's past; one boss he had come across in his research owned a waste management company and an old garbage truck from this company was used in a Mob-related murder case. By the time of the events of For Gedda and For Warrick, Greg has completed his book and has interviews with three Los Angeles Area publishing companies; he skips the interviews after Warrick's murder to aid the team in their investigation. The book is never mentioned to this date again yet, however, Greg still will expose random bits of trivia about Vegas' past at various crime scenes such as discussing the history of Vegas' first racially integrated casino with Nick in "Young Man With A Horn". He also has a glitter fetish to which he tells Catherine(also in the season 9 episode "Young Man With A Horn").
During the 11th season, Greg is involved in an identity theft crisis during the 7th episode "Bump & Grind" in which a company offering protection is actually stealing identity. He tells Nick he is signed up with them before learning they are identity thieves. He later becomes paranoid about his purchases and at the end of the episode, can be heard yelling at someone while on the phone about spending $1200 on somewhere he's never been before.
On the episode "A Kiss Before Frying", Greg gets smittened by a mysterious woman, who describes herself as a fourth grade science teacher, during a tour of the crime lab. Shortly, he asks and receives her phone number, and goes out on a date with her. Later, he discovers her snooping through his files, which hold a picture of a van that may be included in a crime scene that the CSIs were investigating. Greg finds out that she is a Burlesque dancer who is also a suspect of recent murders that connect to an old crime case. It creates conflict with the other CSIs, including Nick, who first encourages Greg to go out with her. The murder victims were grandchildren of Jewish-American gangsters who murdered the woman's grandparents. Greg finds himself getting shot at after the woman calls him from a diner. The woman, Rita Von Squeeze, who uses the name Ellen Whitebridge, gets arrested with the help of Catherine, who declines to suspend Greg but gives advice on falling for the wrong person. This is the episode that centralizes Greg and his fascination with Las Vegas legends as well as a connection to the infamous Bugsy Siegel.
Asst. Supervisor Catherine Willows
Catherine was horrified to discover that she accidentally caused an explosion which nearly killed Greg in Season Three episode Play with Fire and spent her week of suspension with Greg at the hospital. She asks if Greg is all right in Season Seven episode Double-Cross, which follows on from Fannysmackin' as he has returned to work so soon to which she expresses her concern. Greg's bruises are still clearly visible on his face at this point.
Greg and Catherine came into disagreement following Sara's suspension in Nesting Dolls. He tells Catherine that they ought to help Sara because she was "always there for them".
Catherine decides not to suspend Greg for his involvement with a woman, who is discovered to be a suspect on a string of murders by electrocution in "A Kiss Before Frying", putting Greg in a line of fire. Catherine instead shares with Greg her experience in allowing lust to blind her, and suggested that Greg informs her if ever he falls for the next woman, as Catherine has an "eye for the rotten ones."
CSI Nick Stokes
Greg and co-worker Nick Stokes have remained brotherly since the first season with Nick affectionally calling him "Greggo" or "G" sometimes. Nick does not look at Greg any differently now that he is a CSI. Nick was furious following the attack on Greg in Fannysmackin'; to some extent, he took his anger out on an irritating onlooker, who, it was later revealed, was actually the leader of the gang. He has often encouraged Greg in the field, and has been seen giving Greg some of his first CSI experiences; Greg took his notes in the episode Chasing the Bus, and in Scuba Doobie-Doo, he sought Greg's advice concerning a dead diver, much to Catherine's annoyance, as she was the one working with him on the case. The two remain very close friends. In The Grave Shift, Greg and Riley are invited by Nick to share office space with him, after he accepts an offer to have Grissom's old office.
CSI Sara Sidle
Greg makes no secret of his crush on Sara. Sara sometimes reciprocates romantic feelings for Greg. However, when the relationship between Sidle and Grissom was revealed he was not bitter about her dating Grissom, and continues to flirt with her. He tells Nick in "A La Cart" that he was aware of their relationship.
When Sara was suspended because of the quarrel with Catherine, Greg was the one who defended her to Catherine.
In Fannysmackin', Sara stays with Greg and comforts him before he is taken to hospital. She says that she "came for him" despite his asking her to "process the scene now". She is moved when he points out where there may be evidence, e.g. under his fingernails and on his car. They still have a close and more personal relationship than the other CSI's, this can be seen in the starting episodes of Season 10.
Trace Technician David Hodges
During the earlier seasons, Greg and trace technician David Hodges have been seen to have a less than friendly rivalry. Hodges usually explains to the other CSI's about what his findings are and sometimes refers them to Sanders.
Greg and Hodges are still seen as rivals when Greg moves out into the field and the CSI's ask Hodges if he will ever "pull a Sanders". Hodges also takes the mick which can be seen especially during the season 7 episode "Lab Rats" in which Greg ends up covered in spaghetti sauce and asks what the techs are doing. Hodges replies with a smirk and suggests "Some garlic bread, some nice Chianti maybe?" to which Greg tells Hodges "Kiss my ass".
Season 10 shows Greg and Hodges becoming slightly more friendly, enough to be able to celebrate Henry's birthday in "Appendicitement".
In the 11th season, Hodges is distraught that Wendy is gone and Greg decides to be more friendly towards to heartbroken tech. He plans on arranging "man dates" in which every Friday they meet up to take Hodge's mind off Wendy in "Bump & Grind".
Detective Captain Jim Brass
Although Greg has a good working relationship with Detective Captain Jim Brass, Brass likes to take the opportunity to pick on the "new guy": in Viva Las Vegas, he says to Grissom, "Oh, hello Grissom. You've got something stuck to your shoe... Wait. It's just Sanders."
Conrad Ecklie and Greg come into little or no visible contact. However, there are several references in Room Service, where Greg says that Ecklie assigned him onto Warrick and Nick's case. They tease Greg about "kissing Ecklie's ass". In the same episode, Greg also works in the DNA lab as "a favour to Ecklie", which spawns more teasing.
When a "rookie" CSI, Ronnie Lake joins the team, Greg is relieved at not being the new kid anymore and even goes so far as to help Sara and Ronnie with a case when he is off the clock.
Greg is seemed to be notably friendly with A/V Technician Archie Johnson
especially from Season 3 onwards. In later seasons, he s always seen in the A/V lab talking with Archie about an ongoing case or just a friendly chat.
Concerning the lab techs, Greg has little to no contact with Bobby Dawson, or Mandy Webster
.
(Former) CSI Riley Adams
Greg had been shown to have a friendly relationship with new CSI Riley Adams
. The two often used to banter and exchange jokes, and were usually shown working cases together. They even used a form of code between each other to indicate when there was trouble, which is done by them swapping last names in conversations in the presence of suspects (who are usually none the wiser). They have also seen flirting casually and sexually together as shown in the season 9 episode "Leave out all the rest" to which fellow CSI Nick Stokes has to tell them to stop it while at a crime scene after discovering a trunk of sex toys.
(Former) Supervisor Gil Grissom
Greg has always had nothing but respect for Grissom, idolizing him from the very first season. Grissom, however, initially seemed to find Greg's bouncy attitude and loud music
tiresome. Despite this rocky start, Grissom seemed to develop a paternal fondness for Greg, evident by Season Two episode Chasing the Bus, where Grissom encourages Greg and denies that he "messed up" in the field. In Season Three episode Precious Metal, Greg first concretely expressed a desire to move from the DNA lab to the field despite the decrease in salary that this would involve, a statement in response to which Grissom looked at Greg as if seeing him for the first time. In the Season Three finale, Inside the Box, Grissom expresses concern that Greg's hands constantly shake as a result of the explosion which he survived in previous episode Play with Fire. Grissom gave Greg another chance to pass his Final Proficiency Test in Viva Las Vegas, even though Greg failed on his first attempt. He was concerned that Greg had not told his parents about his promotion, two years previously, and encouraged him to "come clean". Following Fannysmackin', Grissom sees that Greg is mortified that his actions may have disappointed Grissom, but is immensely relieved when, in Post Mortem, he tells Greg that he did 'a good job'. In Leaving Las Vegas, Grissom worries that Greg will be appointed a sub-standard lawyer and advises him on the best course to take.
(Former) CSI Warrick Brown
Greg's relationship with Warrick Brown is friendly with good natured goading and ribbing between the two on many occasions. Of note, his mentorship of the fledgling CSI can be seen in episode 4.15 “Early Rollout”, where Warrick counsels Greg on his casual dress and his bad organization. In an episode early in the 5th season, during which a shootout occurred at one of Greg's crime scenes, Warrick pays him a visit in the lab to see how he's doing. In episode 5.11 “Who Shot Sherlock?” Warrick joins the rest of the team in congratulating Greg on attaining his CSI Level 1 status. In episode 9.01 "For Warrick", Greg is noticeably distraught over Warrick's murder and assists Sara in helping plan the funeral and investigate the shooting. He discovers the results of a paternity test in Warrick's dresser, leading the team to realize that Warrick had a son. In episode 9.03 "Art Imitates Life", co-worker David Hodges
spots Greg in another room, speaking with a grief counselor who has been appointed to help the lab cope with their feelings regarding Warrick's death. The counselor nudges a box of tissues towards Greg as he speaks indicating he is clearly distraught over his death.
(Former) Detective Sofia Curtis
Detective Sofia Curtis offers encouragement to Greg in Season Five episode Spark of Life she tells him how to deal with the shock of seeing burn victims. She tells him that she had heard that he was quite a "funny guy", something that he "shouldn't lose". She also occasionally gives him forensic advice, such as in the Season 5 episodes No Humans Involved, when Greg was unsure how to recover a fingerprint, and Snakes, when Greg is sent to assist her in a shooting. In Season Seven episode Post Mortem, she tells Greg that cops often pay a hell of a price for what they do, possibly a reference to her own experience of being suspected for shooting another cop in Season Six episode A Bullet Runs Through It. She has been over to Greg's apartment, and in one episode she tells Sara "who hasn't been to Greg's place".
, which was revealed in season 3, episode 3 ("Let the Seller Beware"):
His heritage was referenced again in season 5, episode 5 ("Swap Meet"):
While Greg fondly refers to his grandparents and his mother, his father has only once been mentioned, although not in the season seven episode "Fannysmackin'", after Greg is beaten by a gang after trying to save a man's life. (He simply tells Grissom, "My mom is going to freak.") He has only once mentioned his father individually. This reference is from Gum Drops when he points out to Sara, "My dad used to take me sailing when I was a kid. Do you know what the inboard end of an anchor rope is called? 'The bitter end.'" In "Ultimate CSI" Greg's name is printed as "Gregory Hojem-Sanders".
Greg has mentioned on several occasions his grandfather, whom he affectionately calls 'Papa Olaf.' He also mentions his Nana Olaf in season 6, episode 19 ("Spellbound"). She apparently possessed psychic
powers, and his family believes that Greg may have inherited this ability from her. This is humorously referenced on several occasions, with Greg making a seemingly innocuous comment, which later either occurs or is referenced. Ironically, Greg is never present when these discoveries are made, and nobody ever seems to notice as well.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
on the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
, portrayed by Eric Szmanda
Eric Szmanda
Eric Kyle Szmanda is an Polish American actor. He portrays Greg Sanders in the television crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, a role he has held since the show began in 2000.-Early life and education:...
. Greg appeared in every episode, with exception of "Blood Drops", "Fahrenheit 932", "Crate N' Burial" and "Too Tough To Die" from season one
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (season 1)
The first season of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000 and ended May 17, 2001. The first season was rereleased Blu-ray, May 12, 2009.It is the only season of the CSI franchise that was broadcast in 4:3 ratio...
, "Cross Jurisdictions
Cross Jurisdictions
"Cross Jurisdictions" is episode twenty-two of the second season of the American crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, which is set in Las Vegas, Nevada. It also served as a pilot episode of the spin-off series, CSI: Miami, set in Miami....
" from season two
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (season 2)
The second season of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation premiered on CBS on September 27, 2001 and ended May 16, 2002.-Notable cast members:-Episodes:-External links:* at TVShowsOnDVD.com....
, "Paper or Plastic" from season four
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (season 4)
The fourth season of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation premiered on CBS on September 25, 2003 and ended May 20, 2004.-Notable cast members:-Episodes:-External links:* at TVShowsOnDVD.com.-See also:...
, "Hollywood Brass" from season five
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (season 5)
The fifth season of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation premiered on CBS on September 23, 2004 and ended May 19, 2005.-Notable cast members:-Episodes:-External links:* at TVShowsOnDVD.com....
, "The Unusual Suspect" from season six
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (season 6)
The sixth season of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation premiered on CBS on September 22, 2005 and ended May 18, 2006.-Notable cast members:-Episodes:-External links:* at TVShowsOnDVD.com....
, "Sweet Jane" from season seven
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (season 7)
The seventh season of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation premiered on CBS on September 21, 2006 and ended May 17, 2007.-Notable cast members:-Episodes:-References:...
and "Unleashed" from season eleven
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (season 11)
The eleventh season of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation premiered on CBS on September 23, 2010 and ended May 12, 2011.-Notable cast members:-Episodes:- U.S. Nielsen Ratings :-External links:...
.
Early life
Greg Sanders is originally from San Gabriel, CaliforniaSan Gabriel, California
San Gabriel is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is named after the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, founded by Junipero Serra. The city grew outward from the mission and in 1852 became the original township of Los Angeles County. San Gabriel was incorporated in 1913...
. Statements from other characters and Greg himself have hinted that the Sanders family were from an upper middle class or wealthy background. Although friends and family told him that science was for geeks, Greg knew from a young age that he wanted to become a scientist. The season 4 episode "Coming of Rage" revealed that he had a palate expander, braces, a retainer, and headgear while growing up. Although he was never good at sports, Greg was the captain of the high school chess team. In the season seven episode "Toe Tags" he stated that he is an Eagle Scout
Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts of America)
Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America . A Scout who attains this rank is called an Eagle Scout or Eagle. Since its introduction in 1911, the Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more than 2 million young men...
. The same season, in the episode "Fannysmackin'", Greg reveals that his overprotective mother refused to let him play sports in high school because he was her only child. Greg stated that his mother wanted four children, but only got one. In the same episode, he reveals a fondness for Doc Martens in high school and thinks that skinheads'
Skinhead
A skinhead is a member of a subculture that originated among working class youths in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, and then spread to other parts of the world. Named for their close-cropped or shaven heads, the first skinheads were greatly influenced by West Indian rude boys and British mods,...
enthusiasm for that style "kinda ruined it for everyone." It is revealed that Greg was a big fan of The X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
because in the season 7 episode "Leapin' Lizards" he says that he "practically grew up on The X-Files" At some stage, Greg lived in New York (season 2, "Burked"). He also used to bowl in high school as seen in the season 10 episode, "Lover's Lanes". Greg also reveals to Nick while working on a case about illegal drag racing in the episode "Internal Combustion" that he once stole his Papa Olaf's car while he was taking a nap when he was 12, took it round the block twice and almost ran over his own foot when trying to reverse it back into the driveway. Papa Olaf never found out.
Education
In "The Ultimate CSI" Greg is said to have been an extremely intelligent child prodigy. He attended a school for the gifted for both grammar and high school.Greg successfully earned his degree in chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa. He has a wide variety of hobbies, including surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
, scuba diving
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
, and numismatics
Numismatics
Numismatics is the study or collection of currency, including coins, tokens, paper money, and related objects. While numismatists are often characterized as students or collectors of coins, the discipline also includes the broader study of money and other payment media used to resolve debts and the...
(the study of money/coins and currency - in the episode "Precious Metal" his knowledge of the subject helps the investigation). In "Precious Metal" it is also revealed that Greg likes supermodel
Supermodel
The term supermodel refers to a highly-paid fashion model who usually has a worldwide reputation and often a background in haute couture and commercial modeling. The term became prominent in the popular culture of the 1980s. Supermodels usually work for top fashion designers and labels...
s, latex
Latex
Latex is the stable dispersion of polymer microparticles in an aqueous medium. Latexes may be natural or synthetic.Latex as found in nature is a milky fluid found in 10% of all flowering plants . It is a complex emulsion consisting of proteins, alkaloids, starches, sugars, oils, tannins, resins,...
and Marilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson may refer to:* Marilyn Manson , an American rock musician* Marilyn Manson , the American rock band led by the singer of the same name...
. He is portrayed as well read, being familiar with The Tell-Tale Heart
The Tell-Tale Heart
"The Tell-Tale Heart" is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe first published in 1843. It follows an unnamed narrator who insists on his sanity after murdering an old man with a "vulture eye". The murder is carefully calculated, and the murderer hides the body by dismembering it and hiding it under the...
by Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
. However, he also contradicts his scientific training and believes in occultism, stating that one could have paranormal beliefs and also be a scientist, something with which Grissom agrees.
Professional life
Greg Sanders is portrayed as a cheerful and optimistic individual. The character has often met with the disapproval of his supervisor Gil Grissom, due to listening to loud musicLoud music
The term loud music is often used to refer to music that is played at a volume that disturbs others, such as neighbors or bystanders, who do not wish to hear the music, or that is otherwise viewed as a nuisance to the public...
such as Marilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson (band)
Marilyn Manson is an American metal band from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Formed in 1989 by Brian Warner and Scott Putesky, the group was originally named Marilyn Manson & the Spooky Kids with their uniquely theatrical performances gathering a local cult following in the early '90s. This attention...
while running lab machines and hiding porn
PORN
Porn is a common short form for pornography. It may also refer to:* Progressive outer retinal necrosis, a disease of the retina* PORN, a French industrial rock band...
magazines in some area cabinets. He is also known for his many different hair styles and colors.
In the Season 2 episode Chasing The Bus, Nick takes Greg for his first night out in the field. Greg helped process the scene with no gloves and did not wear a warmer jacket during the cold night. When a bus passenger, injured during the bus crash, collapses towards Nick, Greg freezes as Nick yells at Greg to get some help. This has created a little bit of anger from a few LVPD workers, including Gil. But, Nick tells Greg not to apologize, but added that Greg is not qualified to work in the field, despite telling him about his first time out in the field as CSI One. Later, Sara tells an unhappy Greg that he is really good at what he does.
In the season 3 episode "Play with Fire" he was involved in a lab explosion, which he survived. Also, in the season 7 episode "Fannysmackin'" he is severely injured after he risks his life to save a tourist being beaten to death by a gang of teenage thrill seekers. He later tells Gil Grissom
Gil Grissom
Dr. Gilbert "Gil" Grissom, is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by William Petersen. Grissom was a forensic entomologist and the night-shift supervisor of the Clark County, Nevada CSI team, investigating crimes in and around the city of Las Vegas...
that he has kept his promotion to CSI a secret from his parents because he didn't want to worry them; they had, for the most part, tried to keep him from playing aggressive sports out of fear of injury to their only child. Moreover, Greg indicates that they were prone to excessive responses to even minor injuries, such as one instance where they took him to an emergency room for a bloody nose. Grissom tells Greg that he needs to come clean, and that they will probably take the news well if he explains; in particular, Grissom states that his mother will be proud of him for saving a man's life. In the season 7 episode "Post Mortem", Greg's split-second decision to run over one of the men threatening the tourist is found to be "excusable." The man's family disagrees with the verdict and serves Greg with a civil suit. In "Empty Eyes" Grissom informs Greg that the city of Las Vegas has settled the civil suit with the family, which has received millions. In a later episode, "Big Shots" the dead man's brother is implicated in a murder investigation, but Greg asks the prosecutor to be lenient with him. Greg appears to feel sympathy for the man's mother, who shouts at Greg that he "owes her" for the death of her first son and her second son is all she has left, though he commented that he was not responsible for their actions and so "owes her nothing."
There has been significant development of the Greg Sanders character throughout the seasons. He was initially the resident lab rat, appearing occasionally. From the second season onwards, it was shown that Greg longed for a position out in the field, especially following his involvement in the lab explosion in "Play with Fire". He failed his first proficiency test when he urinated in a toilet at a crime scene, but having spent several episodes studying and assisting the CSIs, he eventually attained the rank of CSI Level One ("Who Shot Sherlock?"). As the lowest-ranking CSI, he is often given the more menial or unpleasant tasks, such as fishing about in a liquefied body or a dumpster. He initially rarely interviewed suspects. However, he later graduated to investigating crime scenes on his own. His first episode as a primary investigator was season seven episode "Fannysmackin'". Ironically, before he was able to reach the crime scene, he noticed a mob attacking a tourist. Both Greg and the tourist survived and the team arrested the gang members, but a gang-member that Greg had run over died in surgery, which causes problems in later episodes. In this episode, Greg also celebrated over dinner with the female district attorney after his testimony at a jury trial helped put away a criminal. By season 9, in the last regular episode Gil Grissom appears in, Greg has been newly promoted to CSI Level 3. During his time out into the field, Greg is shown to be kind natured and compassionate. In the season 5 episode "Spark of Life", he is seen to be disturbed by a woman who set herself on fire and while taking her husband to the hospital to see her, he is seen very close to crying. Also, during the season 9 episode "No Way Out" after a 7 year old is accidentally killed, his father will not give him up to David Phillips. Greg decides to coax him into giving him to David, while telling him "He's in a better place" and that he'll "Take care of him I promise", he reluctantly agrees. He later goes to tell him that they caught the shooter and the father invites him in for coffee.
The character has "grown up" somewhat since the first season. He was originally portrayed as a girl-crazy geek with interesting hair and odd shirts. He would be seen dancing in his lab and sometimes the hallways or conducting an invisible symphony. Eventually, Greg matured quite a bit, but without losing his wacky touch and still changes his hair occasionally.
It should also be noted that during the series, Greg is involved in a number of explosions. These include explosions in "Play With Fire", which hospitalizes Sanders, "Say Uncle" in which he and Detective Cavalier are involed in a trip wire explosion in a house, and "Shock Waves" in which Greg saves Detectives Vartann's life resulting in him getting a few cuts in turn when a crime scene is rigged with explosives.
By Season 11, Greg has had moments of aggression while on the job. He was seen yelling at someone in Bump And Grind, grabs a camera from a man taking pictures of a dead hooker in Man Up, loudly tells Brass about an irate witness being a jerk who claimed that the victim had a young daughter in 418/427, and physically stops two shady crematorium workers with a wooden plank, much to Nick's amazement.
Greg's personal life
Throughout the early seasons, Greg favored Hawaiian shirts, and later became known for his unusual style of clothing in general. However, this has diminished somewhat since he went out into the field; his manner of dress is more formal now, though he does still periodically change his hair style and color. After a particularly strange case, it is revealed Greg didn't lose his virginity until he was 22, a fact that Mia, a lab tech, points out to him, saying she heard it from Sara. Greg also used to be on his high school bowling team and has a dice shaped ball as seen in the season 10 episode Lover's Lanes (CSI).Greg shows great interest in the historical aspect of Las Vegas, and in Season Eight episode The Case of the Cross-Dressing Carp it was revealed that he is writing a book on the "untold stories of Vegas". Interestingly, Greg's subplot in this episode is comparable to that in Season Six episode Kiss-Kiss, Bye-Bye, where he becomes fascinated by the biography of Lois O'Neil. The trilby hat which Greg wears is, similarly, a nod to his hat in Kiss-Kiss, Bye-Bye. His book is mentioned again in the episode Cockroaches, Greg stated he had been researching Mob bosses from Vegas's past; one boss he had come across in his research owned a waste management company and an old garbage truck from this company was used in a Mob-related murder case. By the time of the events of For Gedda and For Warrick, Greg has completed his book and has interviews with three Los Angeles Area publishing companies; he skips the interviews after Warrick's murder to aid the team in their investigation. The book is never mentioned to this date again yet, however, Greg still will expose random bits of trivia about Vegas' past at various crime scenes such as discussing the history of Vegas' first racially integrated casino with Nick in "Young Man With A Horn". He also has a glitter fetish to which he tells Catherine(also in the season 9 episode "Young Man With A Horn").
During the 11th season, Greg is involved in an identity theft crisis during the 7th episode "Bump & Grind" in which a company offering protection is actually stealing identity. He tells Nick he is signed up with them before learning they are identity thieves. He later becomes paranoid about his purchases and at the end of the episode, can be heard yelling at someone while on the phone about spending $1200 on somewhere he's never been before.
On the episode "A Kiss Before Frying", Greg gets smittened by a mysterious woman, who describes herself as a fourth grade science teacher, during a tour of the crime lab. Shortly, he asks and receives her phone number, and goes out on a date with her. Later, he discovers her snooping through his files, which hold a picture of a van that may be included in a crime scene that the CSIs were investigating. Greg finds out that she is a Burlesque dancer who is also a suspect of recent murders that connect to an old crime case. It creates conflict with the other CSIs, including Nick, who first encourages Greg to go out with her. The murder victims were grandchildren of Jewish-American gangsters who murdered the woman's grandparents. Greg finds himself getting shot at after the woman calls him from a diner. The woman, Rita Von Squeeze, who uses the name Ellen Whitebridge, gets arrested with the help of Catherine, who declines to suspend Greg but gives advice on falling for the wrong person. This is the episode that centralizes Greg and his fascination with Las Vegas legends as well as a connection to the infamous Bugsy Siegel.
Asst. Supervisor Catherine WillowsCatherine WillowsCatherine Willows is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by Marg Helgenberger, who has received two Emmy nominations and two Golden Globe nominations for the role...
Catherine was horrified to discover that she accidentally caused an explosion which nearly killed Greg in Season Three episode Play with Fire and spent her week of suspension with Greg at the hospital. She asks if Greg is all right in Season Seven episode Double-Cross, which follows on from Fannysmackin' as he has returned to work so soon to which she expresses her concern. Greg's bruises are still clearly visible on his face at this point.Greg and Catherine came into disagreement following Sara's suspension in Nesting Dolls. He tells Catherine that they ought to help Sara because she was "always there for them".
Catherine decides not to suspend Greg for his involvement with a woman, who is discovered to be a suspect on a string of murders by electrocution in "A Kiss Before Frying", putting Greg in a line of fire. Catherine instead shares with Greg her experience in allowing lust to blind her, and suggested that Greg informs her if ever he falls for the next woman, as Catherine has an "eye for the rotten ones."
CSI Nick StokesNick StokesNicholas "Nick" Stokes is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by George Eads. Nick has appeared in every episode except for "Blood Lust" from season three, "Jackpot" and "Butterflied" from season four, "Committed" from season five, and "Spellbound"...
Greg and co-worker Nick Stokes have remained brotherly since the first season with Nick affectionally calling him "Greggo" or "G" sometimes. Nick does not look at Greg any differently now that he is a CSI. Nick was furious following the attack on Greg in Fannysmackin'; to some extent, he took his anger out on an irritating onlooker, who, it was later revealed, was actually the leader of the gang. He has often encouraged Greg in the field, and has been seen giving Greg some of his first CSI experiences; Greg took his notes in the episode Chasing the Bus, and in Scuba Doobie-Doo, he sought Greg's advice concerning a dead diver, much to Catherine's annoyance, as she was the one working with him on the case. The two remain very close friends. In The Grave Shift, Greg and Riley are invited by Nick to share office space with him, after he accepts an offer to have Grissom's old office.CSI Sara SidleSara SidleSara Sidle is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by actress Jorja Fox. Sidle is a forensic scientist and one of the core characters of the show, which revolves around a crime scene investigation team from Clark County, Nevada that investigates...
Greg makes no secret of his crush on Sara. Sara sometimes reciprocates romantic feelings for Greg. However, when the relationship between Sidle and Grissom was revealed he was not bitter about her dating Grissom, and continues to flirt with her. He tells Nick in "A La Cart" that he was aware of their relationship.When Sara was suspended because of the quarrel with Catherine, Greg was the one who defended her to Catherine.
In Fannysmackin', Sara stays with Greg and comforts him before he is taken to hospital. She says that she "came for him" despite his asking her to "process the scene now". She is moved when he points out where there may be evidence, e.g. under his fingernails and on his car. They still have a close and more personal relationship than the other CSI's, this can be seen in the starting episodes of Season 10.
Trace Technician David HodgesDavid Hodges (CSI)David Hodges is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by Wallace Langham. Hodges has a habit of giving far more information than anyone wants to hear while explaining things and is very afraid of germs....
During the earlier seasons, Greg and trace technician David Hodges have been seen to have a less than friendly rivalry. Hodges usually explains to the other CSI's about what his findings are and sometimes refers them to Sanders.Greg and Hodges are still seen as rivals when Greg moves out into the field and the CSI's ask Hodges if he will ever "pull a Sanders". Hodges also takes the mick which can be seen especially during the season 7 episode "Lab Rats" in which Greg ends up covered in spaghetti sauce and asks what the techs are doing. Hodges replies with a smirk and suggests "Some garlic bread, some nice Chianti maybe?" to which Greg tells Hodges "Kiss my ass".
Season 10 shows Greg and Hodges becoming slightly more friendly, enough to be able to celebrate Henry's birthday in "Appendicitement".
In the 11th season, Hodges is distraught that Wendy is gone and Greg decides to be more friendly towards to heartbroken tech. He plans on arranging "man dates" in which every Friday they meet up to take Hodge's mind off Wendy in "Bump & Grind".
Detective Captain Jim BrassJim BrassJames "Jim" Brass is a fictional character from the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by Paul Guilfoyle. Jim appeared in every episode, with exception of "Felonious Monk" from season two, "Gum Drops" and "The Unusual Suspect" from season six, "Leaving Las Vegas" from season...
and others
Although Greg has a good working relationship with Detective Captain Jim Brass, Brass likes to take the opportunity to pick on the "new guy": in Viva Las Vegas, he says to Grissom, "Oh, hello Grissom. You've got something stuck to your shoe... Wait. It's just Sanders."Conrad Ecklie and Greg come into little or no visible contact. However, there are several references in Room Service, where Greg says that Ecklie assigned him onto Warrick and Nick's case. They tease Greg about "kissing Ecklie's ass". In the same episode, Greg also works in the DNA lab as "a favour to Ecklie", which spawns more teasing.
When a "rookie" CSI, Ronnie Lake joins the team, Greg is relieved at not being the new kid anymore and even goes so far as to help Sara and Ronnie with a case when he is off the clock.
Greg is seemed to be notably friendly with A/V Technician Archie Johnson
Archie Johnson
Archie Johnson is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by Archie Kao.-Fictional character biography:Archie is the audio/visual surveillance specialist....
especially from Season 3 onwards. In later seasons, he s always seen in the A/V lab talking with Archie about an ongoing case or just a friendly chat.
Concerning the lab techs, Greg has little to no contact with Bobby Dawson, or Mandy Webster
Mandy Webster
Mandy Webster is a recurring fictional character from CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. She first appeared in the season one episode "Anonymous." Her quick tongue and witty comments often serve as comic relief throughout the series...
.
(Former) CSI Riley AdamsRiley AdamsRiley Adams is a fictional character in the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by Lauren Lee Smith. She appeared in 22 episodes during the ninth season, starting with "Art Imitates Life" and ending with "All In".-Biography:...
Greg had been shown to have a friendly relationship with new CSI Riley AdamsRiley Adams
Riley Adams is a fictional character in the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by Lauren Lee Smith. She appeared in 22 episodes during the ninth season, starting with "Art Imitates Life" and ending with "All In".-Biography:...
. The two often used to banter and exchange jokes, and were usually shown working cases together. They even used a form of code between each other to indicate when there was trouble, which is done by them swapping last names in conversations in the presence of suspects (who are usually none the wiser). They have also seen flirting casually and sexually together as shown in the season 9 episode "Leave out all the rest" to which fellow CSI Nick Stokes has to tell them to stop it while at a crime scene after discovering a trunk of sex toys.
(Former) Supervisor Gil GrissomGil GrissomDr. Gilbert "Gil" Grissom, is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by William Petersen. Grissom was a forensic entomologist and the night-shift supervisor of the Clark County, Nevada CSI team, investigating crimes in and around the city of Las Vegas...
Greg has always had nothing but respect for Grissom, idolizing him from the very first season. Grissom, however, initially seemed to find Greg's bouncy attitude and loud musicLoud music
The term loud music is often used to refer to music that is played at a volume that disturbs others, such as neighbors or bystanders, who do not wish to hear the music, or that is otherwise viewed as a nuisance to the public...
tiresome. Despite this rocky start, Grissom seemed to develop a paternal fondness for Greg, evident by Season Two episode Chasing the Bus, where Grissom encourages Greg and denies that he "messed up" in the field. In Season Three episode Precious Metal, Greg first concretely expressed a desire to move from the DNA lab to the field despite the decrease in salary that this would involve, a statement in response to which Grissom looked at Greg as if seeing him for the first time. In the Season Three finale, Inside the Box, Grissom expresses concern that Greg's hands constantly shake as a result of the explosion which he survived in previous episode Play with Fire. Grissom gave Greg another chance to pass his Final Proficiency Test in Viva Las Vegas, even though Greg failed on his first attempt. He was concerned that Greg had not told his parents about his promotion, two years previously, and encouraged him to "come clean". Following Fannysmackin', Grissom sees that Greg is mortified that his actions may have disappointed Grissom, but is immensely relieved when, in Post Mortem, he tells Greg that he did 'a good job'. In Leaving Las Vegas, Grissom worries that Greg will be appointed a sub-standard lawyer and advises him on the best course to take.
(Former) CSI Warrick BrownWarrick BrownWarrick Brown is a fictional character in the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by Gary Dourdan. Warrick appeared in every episode until his death in season nine, with the exceptions of "After the Show" from season four, "Crow's Feet" and "Committed" from season five, and...
Greg's relationship with Warrick Brown is friendly with good natured goading and ribbing between the two on many occasions. Of note, his mentorship of the fledgling CSI can be seen in episode 4.15 “Early Rollout”, where Warrick counsels Greg on his casual dress and his bad organization. In an episode early in the 5th season, during which a shootout occurred at one of Greg's crime scenes, Warrick pays him a visit in the lab to see how he's doing. In episode 5.11 “Who Shot Sherlock?” Warrick joins the rest of the team in congratulating Greg on attaining his CSI Level 1 status. In episode 9.01 "For Warrick", Greg is noticeably distraught over Warrick's murder and assists Sara in helping plan the funeral and investigate the shooting. He discovers the results of a paternity test in Warrick's dresser, leading the team to realize that Warrick had a son. In episode 9.03 "Art Imitates Life", co-worker David HodgesDavid Hodges (CSI)
David Hodges is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by Wallace Langham. Hodges has a habit of giving far more information than anyone wants to hear while explaining things and is very afraid of germs....
spots Greg in another room, speaking with a grief counselor who has been appointed to help the lab cope with their feelings regarding Warrick's death. The counselor nudges a box of tissues towards Greg as he speaks indicating he is clearly distraught over his death.
(Former) Detective Sofia CurtisSofia CurtisSofia Curtis is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by British actress Louise Lombard.-Background:Sofia was introduced in the season five episode "Formalities"...
Detective Sofia Curtis offers encouragement to Greg in Season Five episode Spark of Life she tells him how to deal with the shock of seeing burn victims. She tells him that she had heard that he was quite a "funny guy", something that he "shouldn't lose". She also occasionally gives him forensic advice, such as in the Season 5 episodes No Humans Involved, when Greg was unsure how to recover a fingerprint, and Snakes, when Greg is sent to assist her in a shooting. In Season Seven episode Post Mortem, she tells Greg that cops often pay a hell of a price for what they do, possibly a reference to her own experience of being suspected for shooting another cop in Season Six episode A Bullet Runs Through It. She has been over to Greg's apartment, and in one episode she tells Sara "who hasn't been to Greg's place".Family
Greg is half NorwegianNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, which was revealed in season 3, episode 3 ("Let the Seller Beware"):
- Grissom: Your mother's maiden name is Hojem, correct? Hojem is Norwegian?
- Greg: Yeah. And you know, my grandfather got tossed from Norway for getting my grandmother pregnant before they got married. To this day, he still tells me "som man reder, så ligger man".
- Greg: One must lie in the bed one has made.
- Grissom: This is true.
His heritage was referenced again in season 5, episode 5 ("Swap Meet"):
- HodgesDavid Hodges (CSI)David Hodges is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by Wallace Langham. Hodges has a habit of giving far more information than anyone wants to hear while explaining things and is very afraid of germs....
: Good thing you don't have to pass a spelling test to work in the field. 'Funtain' water? - Greg: My people are Norwegian. That's how we spell it.
While Greg fondly refers to his grandparents and his mother, his father has only once been mentioned, although not in the season seven episode "Fannysmackin'", after Greg is beaten by a gang after trying to save a man's life. (He simply tells Grissom, "My mom is going to freak.") He has only once mentioned his father individually. This reference is from Gum Drops when he points out to Sara, "My dad used to take me sailing when I was a kid. Do you know what the inboard end of an anchor rope is called? 'The bitter end.'" In "Ultimate CSI" Greg's name is printed as "Gregory Hojem-Sanders".
Greg has mentioned on several occasions his grandfather, whom he affectionately calls 'Papa Olaf.' He also mentions his Nana Olaf in season 6, episode 19 ("Spellbound"). She apparently possessed psychic
Psychic
A psychic is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception , or is said by others to have such abilities. It is also used to describe theatrical performers who use techniques such as prestidigitation, cold reading, and hot...
powers, and his family believes that Greg may have inherited this ability from her. This is humorously referenced on several occasions, with Greg making a seemingly innocuous comment, which later either occurs or is referenced. Ironically, Greg is never present when these discoveries are made, and nobody ever seems to notice as well.